Playing ball



1,621,899" Mardi 22 1927' G. L. PIERCE PLAYING BALL Filed May l0. 1925:i214 HIEEHSISPAM Fatente'd Mar. 22, 1927.

UNlTED S'l TES PATENT'V FFICE.

PJLYING' BALL.

Application led May l0, 1926. Serial N0. 108,030.

This invention aims to provide .a simpleand eilicient structure by whicha bladder carrying a valved inating stem can be secured to the cover.The bladder is attached e to a protecting member which is held in placeby the lacing used to close the openin in the cover, a small openingbeing provi ed in the cover for access to the inlating stem.

A ball as disclosed herein can beinflated through the iniiating stemwithout opening the lacing, it being necessary to remove the lacin onlywhenit is desired to replace the blad er.

While Ihave disclosed a commercial embodiment of the invention forpurposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changesin the structure can be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a football embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing therelation of the parts during assembling;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in assembledrelation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with theparts in the position of Fig. 2;

, Fig. 5 is a. section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings more particularIy, the bladder 10 carries avalved inflating stem 11 of a well-known type. A protecting flap ofleather 12 of a size to extend beyond 'the ends of the usual slit 13 in40 the cover 14 has a metallic bushing 15 attached thereto in anyconvenient manner. The bushin has an aperture therethrough screw-threaed to receive the threads on the exterior of the intlating stem 11. Asmaller leather patch 16 is secured to the upper surface of flap 12 inoverlapping relation to bushing 15 and has an opening coinciding withthe aperture in the bushing, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A pairof spaced parallel slits are made through atch 16 on opposite sides ofthe bushing t ereby forming loops 17. A lacpassed through the lacingholes conventionally arranged on opposite sides of the cover opening 13,and also through the loops 17 each of which is so placed as to lie inthe line taken by the lacing in passing between two opposed holes in thecover.

With the partsloosely positioned as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the lacingis drawn taut, thereby closing the slit 13 and drawing the flap 12 upagainst the cover 14 with the stem l1 projecting through an aperture 191n the cover. The ball is now inflated in a .well-known manner, afterwhich a lca 20 1s screwed into the stem 11, practically li ling theaperture 19 as shown in Figs. l and 3.

While I have illustrated the invention as applied to a football it willbe evident that 1t can be used on any playing ball having an inflatablebladder within a cover.

I claim:

1. In a playing ball, a cover, a slit in said cover, notches in thesides of said slit forming an aperture, a. bladder, an inliating stem 75carried by the bladder and accessible throughpthe aperture, and a lacingclosing the slit and holding the bladder against movement relative tothe casing.

2. In a playing ball, a cover, a slit in said cover, a protecting lap, abladder secured to the ila and a lacing for closing the slit and holdingthe flap in position.

3. In a playing ball, a cover, a slit in said cover, a rotectinfr iiap,a bushing secured to said ap, a bladder, an iniiating stem carried bythe bladder and secured to the bushing, and a. lacing for closing theslit and holding the flap against movement relative to the cover. l

4. In a playing ball, a cover, a slit in said cover a protecting flap, abushing secured to said flap), a, bladder, an intlating stem carried bythe ladder and secured to the bushing, and a lacing for closing theslit, said lacing also engaging the flap and holding the flap againstmovement relative to the cover.

5. In a playing ball, a cover, a slit in said cover, a protecting flap,a bushing secured to 'said flap, a atch attached to the lia loops formedin t e patch, a bladder attac ed to the bushing, and a lacing closingthe slit and passing through the loops to anchor the bladder in osition.

In testimony whereo I athx 1n signature.

GEORGE L. IERCE.

